London/Mumbai: A US-bound flight of Air India from Mumbai was intercepted by Typhoon fighter jets of the Royal Air Force and accosted to Stansted airport, after a bomb threat on board. The aircraft was parked in a secluded area at the airport, which is used by the SAS to train for hijackings. Up to 400 passengers were asked to deplane one by one and frisked by sniffer dogs. Later, they were 'quarantined' by the bomb squad in the holding area at the airport. The aircraft was turned back over Northern Ireland and sent towards Stansted. RAF Typhoons caused a sonic boom when they sped to meet the plane over UK, causing undue alarm.
The Boeing 777 was heading to New York's Newark airport from Mumbai before being diverted. An Air India spokesman claimed that the plane was diverted because of a hoax 'bomb threat', reportedly made in an anonymous phone call to Mumbai Airport. The UK's Ministry of Defence said the Typhoon aircraft were authorised to transit at supersonic speed to escort Air India plane for operational reasons. Following the incident, all flights at Stansted, the UK's designated airport for aircraft facing active security threats, had to be temporarily grounded but have since reopened. Local residents reported hearing loud bangs as a result of the jets being scrambled. Footage from the ground showed the moment the RAF Typhoons screeched across the sky near Stansted. The RAF has apologised for any shock caused by the loud bang caused by their speeding jets.
